3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 3-2 Win Over the Oilers

Thompson’s talents were on full display on Monday. He went one-on-three against the Oilers in the first period and came away with a goal. On a great hustle play from trade deadline acquisition Josh Norris, Thompson had a nasty toe-drag that resulted in his second of the night.

With 33 goals on the season, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to think that Thompson could hit 40 goals once again. Finding him a reliable playmaker could be the key to making the top line for the Sabres one of the most formidable in the league.

Alex Tuch Should Be in the Team’s Long-Term Plans

There were plenty of talking points going into the NHL trade deadline. The Sabres signed Jason Zucker to a contract extension, making one more commitment to the future. One of the biggest rumors out there was whether or not the team is committed to Alex Tuch for the long term.

The simple fact of the matter is that Tuch should be part of future plans. He has been among the best players for the Sabres this season and does more than the stats indicate. He hit the 25-goal mark for the second time in his career and could eclipse the 59 points he had a season ago.

What Tuch really brings to the table is leadership and strong defensive play. He is a strong two-way winger, one who could be an elite second-line winger instead of having to be on the top line. He loves Buffalo, plays hard at both ends, and makes a difference overall.

UPL Is the Answer in Net

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has had a rough go of late. He gave up three in a loss to the Montreal Canadiens, five in a loss to the San Jose Sharks, and a whopping six in a rough back-and-forth game with the Tampa Bay Lightning. At times, it felt like maybe the Sabres didn’t know what they had in net.

The simple fact is that Luukkonen has played better this season than the numbers show. Team defense, especially net-front defense, has been awful this season. Luukkonen showed on Monday that he is the guy that can make a difference for the Sabres with the right help.

Luukkonen was big against the Oilers and has shown a penchant to steal a game or two. Things need to improve around him for us to see a major difference in his numbers, but Luukkonen should be the guy again in 2025-26 for the Sabres.

Finding the Other Pieces

There isn’t anything left to play for in terms of the standings at this point. The Sabres are going to have another high draft pick, something that they definitely weren’t hoping for entering the season. The remainder of the schedule is about building momentum, identifying pieces, and trying to turn things around next season.